Gladys Knight, the 82-year-old "Empress of Soul," announced Thursday that she will be "easing into fewer performances" going forward, telling her more than 540,000 Instagram followers she's ready to focus on family and the next chapter of her life.

"After much soul searching I've decided that I will be easing into fewer performances while focusing on transitioning into the next stage of my career and life moving forward," Knight wrote, according to Variety. She added that she plans to spend "more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies."

Fans Had Noticed

The announcement follows weeks of online chatter after clips from several of Knight's recent performances went viral, with fans expressing concern that the shows didn't live up to her legendary standard. There have been reports over the past several months of Knight relying heavily on backup singers, missing cues and appearing to wander the stage.

"EASING INTO FEWER PERFORMANCES."

Knight has been performing professionally since she was four years old, when she won the Ted Mack Amateur Hour talent competition. She formed the Pips with family members at age eight and went on to a seven-decade career built on hits like "Midnight Train to Georgia," "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Neither One of Us." She has won seven Grammy Awards — four as a solo artist, three with the Pips — plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023, and earned her "Empress of Soul" title from the Society of Singers in 2007.

Knight's statement did not specify a full retirement or name a final tour date, and representatives have not detailed which upcoming shows, if any, will be affected. For now, the singer says she intends to keep performing — just less often.